Responsible Tourism

Please be a responsible tourist

Every year, nearly 3.8 million tourists visit the beautiful island of Bali. BAWA encourages visitors to Bali to act responsibly in consideration of animal welfare. When holidaying in Bali, please choose the places you visit and support with caution. Many places in Bali keep and exploit animals in ways which cause immense suffering. When you visit such places, your money supports animal cruelty. So please think about the welfare of the animals before your visit.

With leading legal advice, BAWA is promoting awareness of Indonesia’s animal welfare laws and intends to work with national policy-makers to achieve tougher laws and better enforcement to protect our animals.

Please be aware of the following when visiting Bali:

Animal Markets

Many bird, pet and animal markets in Bali operate outside the law. They may trade in stolen pets and protected species removed from their natural habitats.

Animals are often unvaccinated and are crowded into unhygienic cages which are breeding grounds for sickness and disease. Conditions can be terrible.

If you buy an animal from one of these markets it will soon be replaced by another. Buying an animal from a pet market will increase demand and promote business.

See a video of one of Bali’s large pet markets here:

Street Entertainment

Animals such as monkeys and snakes may be used to entertain crowds in Bali tourist hubs such as Kuta. The animals are often kept in very poor conditions and are forced to perform. They are usually trained through punishment and spend most of their days chained and caged when not on the streets. They suffer intense physical and psychological trauma.

If you observe a performing animal, please do not pay the keeper for the performance or a photograph.

Restaurants

Some restaurants keep animals – in very poor conditions – as tourist attractions. Other restaurants sell ‘specialty’ foods such as snake blood drinks, dog meat and shark fin dishes – all produced by the inhumane treatment of animals.

If you see any of these products being sold, please report the location and name of the restaurant to BAWA at info@balianimalwelfare.com

Souvenirs

BAWA recommends checking which materials your souvenirs are made from and how they have been produced. Cow bone carvings, ivory, dead corals and wood can all have had a negative impact on animals, wildlife and ecosystems.

Dolphins in Captivity

The captive marine mammal industry is big business and is driven by people’s desire to see these amazing and iconic animals up close and, in many cases, to swim or interact with them. However, life in captivity is totally unsuitable for cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises).Wild populations are threatened and cruelty and suffering is inflicted on countless animals. Read more

This industry is driven by demand to see these iconic animals. And your voice really does make a difference. Please help spread the word about the cruelty of this horrific tourist-driven industry by downloading and printing the brochures below to distribute to tour operators, hotels or any place that might promote swimming with dolphins.

Marine Tourism

Bali is surrounded by beautiful reefs and an extraordinary array of marine life. Diving, snorkeling and boat expeditions are popular. However, marine tourism can be very detrimental to ocean life. Boats can pollute the water environment with fuel, litter and chemicals. Anchoring needs to be carefully chosen and executed to protect coral which is extremely fragile and supports whole underwater ecosystems.

Please choose responsible tour operators and always enter water at a good depth so you don’t damage coral. In the water, take care not to touch anything or disturb natural habitats.

Zoos and Animal Parks

Zoos, safari parks, marine parks and bird parks operate in Bali with varying commitments to animal welfare. Some parks buy animals solely to attract tourists and understand and care little for the animals’ needs and welfare. Read more

Elephants

Elephant tourist parks, camps and shows exist in many parts of Asia including Bali. Tourist demand to get close to these iconic animals is fueling the cruel and abusive treatment of elephants. It is often claimed that tourist elephants are “rescued” or being kept for conservation. The reality is that encouraging human-elephant interactions is contrary to conservation and rehabilitation efforts. Training and housing elephants in captivity results in immense suffering and encourages the illegal trade in elephants. Find out more

Blood Sports

Any organised blood sport involving animals, such as dog fighting and cock fighting, results in animal suffering. Often defended as ‘culturally significant’ in Bali, cockfighting brings the painful death of hundreds of thousands of cockerels each year. BAWA advises tourists to avoid cock fights and any other blood sports.

Horse riding

Horse riding treks are widely available to tourists in Bali. Please be sure that horses are kept in good condition with adequate space, food or water. If you have any concerns, please contact BAWA at info@balianimalwelfare.com.

Horse Taxis

Horses and ponies are commonly used as tourist ‘taxis’ in Bali. Most horses work long hours every day hauling the heavy carts in hot and humid conditions. Many horses constantly stand on concrete and have little access to food and water. Many suffer from split hooves, dehydration and exhaustion. Read more

While the animals live very poor lives, their owners and operators rely on them to make a living. BAWA understands this but works where possible to educate owners and operators in proper animal care.

Kopi Luwak (Civet Coffee)

Kopi Luwak is ‘civet coffee’. Civets (‘Luwak’ in Indonesian) are small, nocturnal mammals, native to Bali and other parts of Asia. The coffee (‘kopi’) they help to create – by eating and excreting coffee beans which are then collected and cleaned – has become increasingly popular. Sadly, this rise in popularity has encouraged the cruel trade and farming of these beautiful animals. Read more

Today it is increasingly difficult to find genuine wild-sourced kopi luwak. There are some ethical suppliers but it’s much easier to capture/buy the civets, keep them in small cages and feed them almost nothing but coffee berries. We urge people to buy products that are 100% wild–sourced and to do research beyond what is on the label.